The invention relates to a seat for vehicles including automobiles, airplanes and the like. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to such a seat, comprising a seat part and a backrest part, seat part supports being arranged on both sides of a longitudinal center plane of the seat on longitudinal sides of the seat part, and backrest part supports being arranged on longitudinal sides of the backrest part, which seat part supports and backrest part supports provide a passenger using the seat with a lateral support.
Seats installed in vehicles or airplanes which are frequently exposed to changing curves or high cornering speeds are expected to offer a good support to the passengers who are transported on them.
German Patent Document DE 34 17 616 C2 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,561) shows a vehicle seat which has a seat part and a backrest part which are provided with stationary seat part supports and backrest part supports respectively. The seat part supports and the backrest part supports project beyond the seat part cover surfaces and the backrest part cover surfaces, which makes it more difficult for the passengers to sit down essentially transversely to the vehicle seat.
It is therefore an object of the invention to take such measures with respect to a seat for automobile vehicles, airplanes or the like that the respective passenger using the seat is perfectly supported during lateral accelerations and the above-mentioned passenger can comfortably sit down in this seat.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this object is achieved by providing a seat for vehicles including automobiles and airplanes comprising a seat part and a backrest part, seat part supports being arranged on both sides of a longitudinal center plane of the seat on longitudinal sides of the seat part, and backrest part supports being arranged on longitudinal sides of the backrest part, which seat part supports and backrest part supports provide a passenger using the seat with a lateral support, wherein the seat part supports and the backrest part supports of the seat are constructed to be adjustable.
Principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that, because of the adjustable seat part supports and backrest part supports of the seat part and the backrest part, a seat equipped therewith offers to the respective passenger not only a good support, but these supports can be moved into a position in which it is easy for this passenger to sit down in the seat. The seat part supports and backrest part supports may be designed such that they can be adapted to the passengers"" different sizes. The adjustability of the backrest part supports can easily be implemented if the latter are swivellable by way of swivelling axes extending in the longitudinal direction of the backrest part and furthermore are disposed on hinges arranged at a distance in the longitudinal direction of these swivelling axes. The contractions in the backrest part and the recesses in the backrest supports contribute to the fact that a targeted mobility of the backrest part supports is ensured about the swivelling axes. It is also advantageous to align the swivelling axes of the seat part supports horizontally and to arrange them at a relatively small distance from a forward transversely extending boundary of the seat part. Finally, the arrangement of the adjusting lever for the longitudinal adjustment of the seat in the seat part contributes to a simplification of the construction and the ergonomic operation of the seat.
The following description and the claims set forth further advantageous features of the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.